The Compaq Big Band is celebrating their 50th birthday month by performing Monday March 24th at an exciting new-to-us venue, the Backbeat Brewing Company (BBC) in Beverly, Massachusetts. Though it will be our first appearance at one of the North Shore’s undiscovered live music gems, BBC is no stranger to great big band entertainment, first and foremost by the ‘house band’ - the Backbeat Big Band (BBB) - directed by well-known New England jazz trumpeter Jay Daly. In addition to treating Monday night audiences from Beverly and beyond to his all-star band’s programs, Jay and BBC owner Pete Harkins (a HUGE fan of big bands!) have begun welcoming guest ensembles from Greater Boston, including to date the Randy Pingrey Jazz Orchestra and Greg Hopkins Big Band. Pretty darn good company!
There is no cover charge for this show. We’re on 7:00pm-9:30pm. Doors Open 5:00pm. All seating is General Admission, and capacity is limited – SO GET THERE EARLY! Casual dress.
Supercharging our BBC debut will be Special Guest Vocalist Anaïs Reno from New York City. In 2024 we were fortunate to have Anaïs up from New York to be featured in front the full band on three killer concert events, including at the prestigious City Winery Boston. And, she wowed every audience member - from just sitting just a few feet in front of her to around the world - when she performed at a fabulous live studio, on-air FM, and streamed performance at 90.5 WICN in Worcester with a talented quintet of CBB instrumentalists one year ago. Check out video and photos from that special WICN Studio 50 event at https://www.compaqbigband.com/CBB_AnaisReno_WICN_20240326.php , along with a fascinating on-air interview by WICN’s Tom Nutile recorded just after the live performance.
And we’re not done yet with the March 24th program yet – not by a long shot! You’ll also be treated to an exciting opening set by All-City Jazz Ensemble, comprised of students from the Beverly schools’ Grades 5-9, beginning at 6:00pm!
BBC is located at 31A Park Street in downtown Beverly, just across from the MBTA commuter rail station – not very far off Route 128. There’s plenty of parking adjacent to/near the venue, including at the MBTA parking garage at 100 Rantoul Street ($4 cash or card) and metered on-street spaces ($1/hour up until 8:00pm - quarters, card, or Passport Parking App)
BBC offers an assortment of fresh craft beers brewed on premises, as well as non-alcoholic beverages. And, they serve great pizza and bar snacks.
On March 24th Anaïs will be singing arrangements from the Great American Songbook as performed by Ella Fitzgerald with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, as well as other jazz classics as sung by Ella, Carmen McRae, Anita O’Day, Helen O’Connell, and more. A few very hip, more modern takes on timeless vocals will be sprinkled in, such as John Clayton’s powerful version of “Fever”. And, we’ll round out the evening with a few tasty instrumental arrangements from the likes of Chris Walden, Count Basie, Sammy Nestico, Callum Au, and Gordon Goodwin.
Since Anaïs’ public Boston debut with us just ten short months ago at City Winery Boston, this rising New York City jazz star has been busy performing in her hometown of Manhattan, along with appearing on stages in St. Louis, Buffalo, Philadelphia (where one of her very frequent jazz club venues named an ice cream after her…), San Francisco, London, Edinburgh, Lake Tahoe, New Hampshire, and more.
We will have Anaïs’ CDs of her fist two albums, along with vinyl of her second album, available for purchase. All merchandise will be on sale before the show, during intermission, and post-show (cash & cards accepted).
Anaïs began singing the Great American Songbook at the age of eight, and has been performing at legendary Birdland Jazz Club in Times Square since she was thirteen. A graduate of the acclaimed Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in NYC, she is an Ella Fitzgerald Scholar who is in her final semester at Purchase College (SUNY Purchase) in New York, majoring in vocal jazz performance.
Among her many accolades, she won the Ben Tucker Jazz Award at the 2023 American Traditions Competition, took First Place at the 2020 Mabel Mercer Foundation competition, received the 2020 Julie Wilson Award, was awarded Second Place at the 2018 Michael Feinstein’s Great American Song Book Academy competition, and earned the 2016 Forte International Competition’s Platinum Award.
She has performed for sold out shows at storied NYC venues such as Rose Hall at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, The Django, Dizzy’s, and Feinstein's 54 Below, plus Seneca One Auditorium in Buffalo, NY for International Jazz Day, as well as singing her own compositions with the NY Philharmonic in David Geffen Hall (Lincoln Center). Anaïs has also sung at Madison Square Garden, and at the Caramoor Jazz Festival. She delivered a stunning rendition of “America The Beautiful” on national television at Citi Field for the New York Mets/Yankees game on the 20th anniversary of 9/11.
Anaïs appears regularly at iconic music venues such as Birdland, Chris’ Jazz Club in Philadelphia, and at PizzaExpress in London. Her first album, “Lovesome Thing: Anaïs Reno sings Ellington & Strayhorn”, debuted in 2021, and is a 12-song compilation of 100% Duke Ellington/Billy Strayhorn collaborations that rose quickly to #6 on the jazz charts. Her second album - “Anaïs Reno at PizzaExpress Live - in London“ - was recorded Summer 2023 at the iconic club’s trendy Soho flagship location. Her third album is nearing completion around the date of this gig.
To get a couple more samples of what you’re in for on March 24th, watch a video collage captured live of her singing with the CBB at the Andres Institute of Art in Brookline, NH on September 20, 2024, and listen to a live recording of her performing Billy May’s arrangement of “I Love You” with us at the Park Theatre in Jaffrey, NH on July 24, 2024 as part of the TEAM Jaffrey Summer Concert Series. Finally, listen to a couple small-group jazz tracks from Anaïs’ first album that - we’ll be doing full big band arrangements of at the BBC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bxGPJ3mncM&list=OLAK5uy_kHm45Cra7FSia4UlomWi_YrbNBo2P6cMw and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTf7uQMLB4Q&list=OLAK5uy_kHm45Cra7FSia4UlomWi_YrbNBo2P6cMw&index=5
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